Eight ways to explore Dartmoor

From wild camping to bouldering, there are loads of ways to experience the great outdoors on Plymouth’s doorstep. What will you do?

If you’re looking for
a quote to capture the cinematic grandeur of Dartmoor, you could do worse than
ask Steven Spielberg. “I have never before, in my long, eclectic career, been
gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War
Horse,” he said, of the 2011 film about a Devon farm boy.

That’s right – despite
filming in Hawaiian rainforests for Jurassic Park, Sri Lankan tea
plantations for Indiana Jones and the pristine beaches of Martha’s
Vineyard for Jaws, Dartmoor still tops his list of beautiful places. And
with miles of heather-covered moorland, granite tors and steeply wooded river
valleys, you can see why this national park has Hollywood appeal.

But it’s not just
film-makers and ramblers who are drawn to Dartmoor. It’s also a playground (and
classroom) for students. Read on for some of the many different ways you can
explore England’s last wilderness...

Eight ways to explore Dartmoor

Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team

Eight ways to explore Dartmoor

Eating

Eight ways to explore Dartmoor

Horse riding

Eight ways to explore Dartmoor

Photography

With 47,000 hectares
of public access land, Dartmoor has plenty to offer outdoor enthusiasts, and is
featured in a new book of walks produced by University of Plymouth students, staff
and partners.

Moor to Sea without the Carincludes Dartmoor walks
illustrated with paintings, photographs, poetry and maps.

BA (Hons) Marketing
student Heather Harding shares her insight into ‘letterboxing’, the
19th-century version of geocaching, which began at Cranmere Pool on north
Dartmoor, whilst BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing student Hannah Stamp
depicts the bleakness of the Princetown circular route: “The cruel moorland winds
blow through, blanketing the hills, the hones, the tors, and the chug of the
old abandoned railway.”

The book also gives
plenty of safety information, a guide to essential kit (for example, OS map,
compass and boots) as well as a difficulty and experience grading for each
walk.

If you’re not ready for Dartmoor, you can always start with one of the
circuits closer to home such as Royal William Yard or from Cremyll to Mount
Edgcumbe.

2.
Wild camping

Finding solitude on
Dartmoor can be a welcome break after weeks of socials, seminars and packed
lecture halls. Biomedical Science graduate Andy Dent recalls a night he camped
on the Two Moors Way.

“The morning seemed to
come like the flick of a light switch, my tent instantly illuminated by
sunlight.

I was greeted by my first proper view from the ridge. The fog and fading light
which had masked its beauty the night before were replaced by clear air and
blue skies.”

Andy first visited
Dartmoor at the age of 15 with the Scouts, and when he returned to Plymouth to
do his degree, he couldn’t wait to get back out there with a friend who’d been
on the same Scout trip with him.

“To me Dartmoor is a
special place because it can provide a feeling of remoteness without having to
travel for miles into the depths of Wales or the Scottish Highlands,” says
Andy. “Although often described as ‘bleak’ it has many changing colours and
hardy fauna and flora that flourish there.

“If you want to get
started on Dartmoor, just go for it, but don’t be complacent about safety. Find
someone more experienced to go with or join the Adventure and Expo club. Take
plenty of food and a flask of tea to pick yourself up, and have a few ‘escape plans’
so that if it stops being fun you can cut your trip short.”

Camping for one or two
nights on Dartmoor is fine as long as you don’t pitch your tent on farmland,
enclosed moorland, flood plains or archaeological sites.

“Plymouth and the surrounding area boasts some of the UK’s best riding”,
says Tim Blackman of the University’s cycling club. “Just 30 minutes of riding
from campus and you’re into Dartmoor, where there’s an endless amount of track
waiting to be discovered.” If you don’t have your own bike you can hire one
from Rockets and Rascals, run by former University of Plymouth student, Steve Toze.

“Plymouth is great for cycling,” says Steve. “You can ride traffic-free
along National Cycle Route 27 to Dartmoor.”

The multi-user trail is signposted, and there’s a 5km off-road loop
en-route known as the Plym Ridge ride.

Professor Iain Stewart, director of the Sustainable Earth Institute at University of Plymouth, explains the appeal of Dartmoor’s famous tors (rocky peaks): “Their coarse granite reveals their antiquity – their chunky crystals, like miniature time capsules, root back three hundred million years to a journey that began from plutonic depths several miles down.”

The Dewerstone, Hound Tor and Leigh Tor are popular with climbers, whilst other areas offer thrilling opportunities for bouldering (without ropes or harnesses). Both can be undertaken with University of Plymouth's Adventure and Expo club, and beginners are welcome, says club secretary Jack Porteous: “Anyone can join. We can start people on a climbing wall or they can come out to the Dewerstone. There’s not that much to it really, as long as you have the right attitude.”

Another way to get involved is by pretending to be a casualty. “Students
seem to love that.” says team-member Ken Ringwood. “They go out and hide with
somebody and we’ll rescue them. We’ve got two dogs on our team and they’ll find
anybody anywhere.” The DSRTP also organises marshalled fund-raising hikes,
including an overnight trek known as Midnight Madness.

6. Eating

Close to Burrator
Reservoir and just off Cycle Route 27 is the Royal Oak Inn at Meavy,
which is recommended by Ken Ringwood, DSRTP member and author of several
Dartmoor walks.

This 15th-century inn
made it into the 2015Good Pub Guide. With a flagstone floor, old beams
and large open fireplace, it’s the perfect pit-stop for a long bike-ride or
hike. It’s also popular with University of Plymouth's Adventure and Expo club.

If you’ve driven
through Dartmoor recently you might have noticed some strange blue markings on
the ponies. This is a new pilot scheme to protect them from traffic, as the
paint is reflective. Dartmoor ponies are semi-feral and have lived on the moor
for centuries.

If you want to see
them close up, or even ride a Dartmoor-cross, you can book a riding lesson with
Cholwell Farm and Riding Stables. “We’re used to taking out students,” says
manager Diane Penwill.

“The scenery is
stunning, and we’re right on the moor so there are no cars to worry about.
People come out here and they just can’t believe how nice it is.”

8. Photography

Student activities on
Dartmoor needn’t all be about adventure and practical skills. For some, it’s a
source of inspiration and creativity, as BA (Hons) Photography student Ellie
Coleman recently discovered. As part of her course, she chose to focus on the
area around Burrator Reservoir, where there’s a range of landscapes, from wide
open spaces to dense woodland.

“For me Dartmoor is
special because of its beauty and the fact that it appears virtually untouched
by buildings and people,” she says. “There is a strong connection to history
and it’s a nice space to get away from people.”

Ellie drove and walked
for up to four hours at a time looking for the right locations. “Dartmoor
really does impress a sense of seclusion and natural beauty,” she adds.